Let’s face it, OEM Jeep headlights aren’t all the greatest and it’s one of the first “jeep mods” you should be doing with your Jeep. After all, being able to see at night is a whole lot more important than adding a “Jeep Wave” decal to your side mirror. Here are 3 secrets to installing headlights in your Jeep (or other overland vehicle) which will help keep them working properly over the long-term.
Clean It Up
New lights or used lights you bought from a friend, it doesn’t matter. CLEAN those contacts. I use a 99% isopropyl alcohol. If you have used headlights with green oxidation on them, a very fine grit sandpaper might be needed.
Lube It Up
Use dielectric grease to seal out moisture and dirt. It is slippery stuff and you may need to use a couple of zip ties to lock connectors back together as we don’t want the solution to moisture and dirt to just contribute to connectors simply ‘falling apart’ from too much of the grease.
Seal It Up
Use some silicone sealant to seal up any wiring harnesses. Moisture kills electronics, so even on brand new electrical components, I’ll check for weak locations and add silicone sealant – or more if it already had some. If you’re buying some of the cheaper brand name LED headlights, I find this especially important as they aren’t very well sealed at all.
Conclusion
Most headlight installation instructions cover the basics, but generally don’t get into these extra steps. In many cases, not doing these steps is really all fine for most people. But, add in some wet rainy conditions, a couple of mud baths, and perhaps some road salt, and you’ve just altered the test conditions of the manufacturer quite drastically and your headlights could very well be prone to failure. Adding in these steps to your headlight (or fog light) installation helps keep your connections clean, sealed from the elements and trouble-free!
To shop for any of the products discussed here:
- isopropyl alcohol – http://amzn.to/2rIFIlT
- jeep decals – http://amzn.to/2Gi1tw4
- jeep headlights – http://amzn.to/2GktAuC
- dielectric grease – http://amzn.to/2EbizLl
- zip ties – http://amzn.to/2DzvJRm
- clear silicone sealant – http://amzn.to/2rIwtSw
